Changing Things Around
by MariCareBear
Summary: I've changed some things...Lore & Chris gave Rory up for adoption and she was adopted by none other than Luke & Rachel...When Rory turns 18 Lorelai wants to meet her this is about Rory & Lore's growing relationship as well as Luke & Lore. AU
1. Birthday Surprises

Changing Things Around

Chapter One

"I can't believe my baby girl is 18," Rachel Danes hugs her daughter tightly to her. "I just can't believe it, it makes me feel old."

"Well if I'm correct someone _is_ turning 40 this year," Rory Danes laughs at her mother.

"You know, you haven't gotten your present yet," Rachel points out, "so I'd watch it."

"Yeah and I've seen the present," Lane speaks up, "and you don't want to miss out."

"Dad's going to be 41 next month," Rory adds.

Rachel grins, "that does make me feel better."

"Ha ha," Luke responds. "Come on, let's get these gifts open, the ice cream cake I bought is melting all over the counter."

"Open mine last," Rachel states before picking up the envelope with her handwriting on it.

"Dad's first then," Rory grins has she picks up the heavy gift sitting on top of one of the tables in the diner her father owns. Pulling off the wrapping paper Rory stares in awe at the huge book in front of her, "oh my God."

"It's a collection of all of Shakespeare's works, unfinished and completed." Luke explains.

"I love it," Rory hugs her father tightly, "thank you! How'd you find it?"

"Adam helped me find it on the net," Luke responds.

Rory turns to grin at her boyfriend and places a soft kiss on his lips before accepting his gift, lifting the lid off of the box Rory stares at the train tickets, "what's this?"

"Train tickets to New York City," Adam responds, "for you, me, Lane and Dave over Thanksgiving break."

"Really?" Rory looks expectantly between her father and boyfriend.

"You can go, Adam already checked it out with me," Luke assures.

"Thank you!" Rory throws her arms around Adam's neck, "we'll have such a good time."

"And our present," Lane presents the small envelope, "it's from me and Dave."

Rory opens the envelope and immediately launches herself to hug her best-friend, "Phantom of the Opera tickets? Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Okay," once the excitement has settled down Rachel holds her envelope out to Rory, "open mine before you open all of the boring cards."

Rory pulls out a picture of a deep blue Volkswagen Beetle convertible and in a voice that can hardly hide her excitement she asks, "what's this?"

Luke's voice is more suspicious as he echos his daughter's question, "what is _that_?"

"It's your car," Rachel exclaims. "I bought it for you, it's brand new, it's an awesome car Rory, you're going to love it. It's got that Sirius radio you were talking about, and leather seats, a 6 CD disc changer and awesome speakers."

"Oh my God," Rory screeches. "I can't believe it! Oh my God!" Rory launches into her mother and hugs her while jumping up and down.

"I hid it with Gypsy but she won't let you drive it until she's checked it out, so you can go see it tomorrow morning," Rachel beams at her daughter.

Let a couple minutes pass and the excitement die down Luke suggests, "Rory why don't you open all of the cards you have and your mom can help me get the ice cream served."

"What were you thinking?" Luke demands once he and Rachel are in the back of the diner. "We decided a long time ago that we wouldn't ever just buy her a car, that it was something she would have to work for her own car."

"She's going to need a car Luke," Rachel contests, "she's going away to school next year, an ivy league school no doubt she's going to need a car."

"This is just like you," Luke raises his voice. "You disappear for months on end, a card here, a note there, a phone call once a month and then show up and expect to make it all right by buying her a car."

"I don't think any such thing...." Rachel trails off as Lane walks into the kitchen. "Lane, right now might not be such a good time."

"Yeah," Lane nods, "I know, I have ears. But Rory got a letter with the return address label of Lorelai Hayden."

Rachel and Luke hurry quickly out of the kitchen in time to hear their daughter tell her boyfriend, "I don't want to read it," and set the envelope aside.

"Rory?" Rachel asks tentatively.

Rory turns to face her parents and can immediately see how uneasy she's gotten since they left the room, "yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Rachel asks.

Rory nods, "sure. I just don't want to read it, I don't see the point, she has never been a part of my life."

"Are you sure?" Rachel asks.

Rory flashes her mother a grin that Luke knows is fake, "of course. Now look at this card Babette gave me."

* * *

"Hey kiddo" Luke sticks his head through the doorway of Rory's small room over the diner. "You got a minute?"

"Sure," Rory closes the Shakespear book her father had given her only hours before. "I really do love this book, thank you so much."

"Well it's not a car," Luke grumbles before sitting down on the bed.

Concern for her father passes over Rory's expression, "I like the car, I won't lie Dad...But the book means more to me."

Luke smiles at his daughter and gently ruffles her hair, "I don't really want to talk about the car."

Rory sighs, "I know."

"So the letter..." Luke lets his sentence go hoping his daughter will say something first.

As usual she doesn't remain silent, "I'm not reading it."

"Why?" Luke asks.

"Why?" Rory scoffs, "because...because...I mean why should I?"

"Because I think you have a right to know whatever it is she wants you to say."

"Why?" Rory demands. "She's not a part of my life, she never has been. She gave birth to me but you were the one to raise me when she wouldn't for whatever reason..."

"And that's why I think you should do it," Luke interrupts his daughter's spew of excuses. "I think a part of you needs to know why she gave you up for adoption."

Rory falls silent at her father's comment for a long time and nearly five minutes pass before she breaks the silence. The names the adoption agency gave us were Lorelai Leigh Gilmore and Christopher Alan Hayden, and the note on the envelope said Lorelai Hayden."

"Yeah, I guess I never picked up on that," Luke agrees and in his heart he knows where his daughter is going with this.

"So if they were going to get married anyway, why didn't they keep me? I mean..." Rory's sentence is stopped by a choked sob. "I mean I love you and Mom and I couldn't have asked for more from you too...but...sometimes I think about these things and I can't get myself to stop..."

Luke pulls his sobbing daughter to him, "shh, baby, it's okay." After he's let Rory cry for a little while he pulls her gently off of him and looking into her bright blue eyes he states, "and these are the exact reasons why you _should_ read what's in that letter, to answer some of those questions. Right now you have the chance to answer a lot of questions that you've been wondering for a long time, I think you should do it."

"You do?" Rory is surprised by her father's words.

"Of course I do."

Rory chews on her lip for a moment and then nods, "maybe you're right, I should read it. Do you mind if I do it alone?"

"Of course not," Luke gets up off Rory's bed and places a kiss on her head before leaving the room. "I'll be in my room, alright?"

Rory nods, "thanks. Dad?"

Luke turns to face her again, "yeah Rory?"

"I love you."

"Love you too baby."

Here's a little back story since I don't think I can find a way to work all of it into the story without it coming out long winded and sounded lame. Rachel and Luke got married right out of high school and they went into their marriage knowing that Rachel was unable to have children so after they had both graduated from high school and Luke started the diner and Rachel had a job they adopted a newborn from an upper class teenaged mother and they named her Aurora Lynn Danes. But a year after they adopted Rory, Rachel realized that she couldn't stand to be tied down with a husband or children and she and Luke divorced. Rory has always know that she's adopted and she's always known the name of her birth parents but she's never had any drive to meet them, until 18 years after her adoption when her mother tries to reach her...

In the next chapter:

Lorelai's birthday letter to Rory.


	2. Dear Aurora,

Chapter Two

Once her father has left the room Rory opens the Shakespear book and stares at the envelope she'd been staring at for nearly an hour already, wishing it wasn't there and wishing that it had never been sent in the first place. But most of all she was wishing she didn't want to read it so damn much. Carefully Rory opens the envelope and pulls out the letter on expensive looking paper with neat handwriting filling the pages of paper.

Dear Aurora,

I'm sure receiving this letter on your 18th birthday took you by surprise, possibly a surprise you weren't exactly expecting and I'm sorry if this letter has upset you in anyway. I'm sure you've wondered about me at some point in your life, or maybe you haven't an I'm making a fool out of myself for ever writing this. But I've wondered and thought about you every day of your life, I've wondered what kind of a woman you grew into and if you've had a good life. I hope you have, your father and I poured over applicants for months to try to find the perfect parents for you and even though they were young we had a feeling that they would be good parents; and I hope they are.

We think about you a lot, Chris and I and we talk about you too. We have two sons and they both know about their older sister, you're not a dark hidden secret, and I wanted you to know that. We didn't give you up for adoption because we were ashamed of you, we were never ashamed of you but Chris and I were able to see the reality of the situation and you're life never would have been easy if we'd gotten married and tried to bring you into the lives that we were a part of. We knew that even though we would have been able to provide a life of privilege to you it would have been hard for you emotionally because that's just the way people are here. So I wanted you to know that it was never a matter of wanting you, Chris and I loved you from the moment we set eyes on you, but we knew that you would have a much happier life away from us, our parents and their nosey friends.

I'd love to get to know you, but I also know that you may not want anything to do with me, because why should you let a woman you don't even know into your life after 18 years. And I respect that. But if you do want to meet me I'd love that, more than you can imagine, and you could bring anyone you wanted, your parents or a friend or something. It's just something to think about, I slipped one of my cards in here incase you're interested.

I love you kid, no matter what you decided, if you want me in your life or not. 

Lorelai Gilmore

* * *

I know it's short, and there's another chapter on the way but I wanted to letter to be a stand alone piece...


	3. Late Lunch Date

Chapter Three

"I think I made a mistake," Rory states pacing in front of the counter at the diner. "I don't know if I can do this."

"You could call her, and cancel," Adam suggests, "it's not too late. Tell her you're not ready and maybe take a rain check."

"No," Luke shakes his head. "I think this is something you have to do Rory."

"I don't even know what she's going to be like," Rory states collapsing onto one of the stools.

Luke wraps an arm around Rory's shoulders and gives them a gentle squeeze, "you put a month of thought into this," he states. "You're a smart girl and I know you made the right decision."

"Dad," Rory whispers, "I'm scared."

"I'll have Ceasear throw her out if you'd like," Luke jokingly promises. "Or have Taylor town selectman her out."

Rory glances around the busy diner, "how'd everyone find out anyway?"

"It's Stars Hollow and you're their queen," Luke reminds his daughter. "They have their ways of finding these things out..." Luke raises his voice mid-sentence, "...the nosey busy bodies."

* * *

"She's not coming," Rory can't hide the disappointment in her eyes or in her voice an hour after the time she was supposed to meet Lorelai for lunch. "She must have changed her mind."

"Rory I'd..."

"Dad," Rory cuts her father off. "Please don't try to make this alright, okay? Because right now, it's just not going to be. I just want to be alone right now, okay?"

Luke nods, "sure, I'll bring you up something to eat in a while, okay?" Rory nods gently before disappearing up the stairs and into the apartment above the diner. Once she is gone Luke turns towards the town residence, "okay, everyone _out **now **_I'm closed." Not for the first time in the towns history Luke's was closing early because of Rory Danes but for the first time ever none of the town's residence protested.

"Luke," Sookie St. James stops on her way out of the diner. "If Rory needs anything..."

"Thanks Sookie," Luke nods.

"I mean anything," Sookie adds, "baked goods or...well you know anything...if it becomes a situation where she needs a woman since Rachel isn't around..."

"Thanks Sookie," Luke cuts Sookie off this time. "But I think for right now she needs to be alone and after that who knows what she'll need."

"Luke maybe we should stay," Lane gestures back and forth between herself and Adam.

Luke shakes his head, "I don't think you can..." he stops short as a tall brunette blows into the diner. "We're closed," Luke barks at the women.

"I'm sorry but..."

"We're closed," Luke snaps again as Adam and Lane exchange glances.

"I'm need to..." The woman is obviously getting angry.

"Whatever you need you can walk down to Doose's market and take it home and cook it for yourself, we're closed."

"Luke," Lane elbows Luke.

"What?" Luke looks down at the young Korean employee.

Lane rolls her eyes and Adam asks, "you aren't Lorelai Hayden, are you?"

The woman looks taken aback, "how'd you...?"

"You're late," Luke's mood only worsens at the revelation that this is the woman his daughter had been waiting for for more than an hour.

"I know," Lorelai nods, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to be...is she around?"

"Yeah," Adam nods, "I'll go get her."

"And could I get some coffee?" Lorelai directs her question at Luke.

"Wow," Lane murmurs, "she definitely is related to Rory."

"Lane, why don't you get the coffee in the kitchen?" Luke urges sharply.

"Yeah," Lane nods before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Listen up," Luke points at accusatory finger at Lorelai. "Don't hurt her."

"Excuse me?" Lorelai's tone is immediately offended. "Of course I won't _hurt _her, she's my daughter."

"Who you gave up for adoption, Eighteen years ago what makes you think you have a right to just waltz in here and..."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Lorelai demands.

"I'm her father, you know, the one who's been her for her during the Eighteen years _you_ chose not to be a part of her life."

"Rory," Adam knocks quickly on Rory's bedroom door.

"Adam, please." There are tears in Rory's voice when she responds, "I was serious, I really just need to be alone right now."

"I know," Adam pushes the door open, "but she's here, and she came to see you so that kind of makes it hard for you to be alone...Unless you've changed your mind about changing your mind about seeing her."

"She's here?" Rory sits up on her bed and stares at her boyfriend, dashing at the tears on her cheek.

Adam nods, "yeah, she is. Late but here, and Ror' you've go to see her she's looks just like you. And she seems nice."

Rory sniffs, "really?"

"Yeah," Adam nods again. "Do you want me to go down and tell them that you'll be down, so you can pull yourself together?"

"I'd appreciate it, thanks." Before Adam leaves Rory pulls him to her so that she can kiss him, "I love you."

"I love you too," Adam responds. "And I think this is going to be okay."

Rory bites her lip, "I hope so."

* * *

Walking down the steps into the diner Rory stopped probably three times, to catch her breath and attempt to calm her nerves. Stepping into the diner didn't help either, the tension was obvious enough that she could feel it from the second she stepped foot in the diner and all the eyes were on here. And from experience Rory knew that her father was probably at the center of the tension, Luke loved Rory but she knew that occasionally her took his over-protective father role a little to far.

"Look at you," Lorelai's words greet Rory first. "You're beautiful and so grown-up."

"Yeah, Eighteen years'll do that to you." Luke mutters.

Rory shoots her father an angry look, "Dad."

"Sorry," Luke apologizes, "I'm not helping."

"You're just not at all what I expected," Lorelai states. "I don't know what I expected but..."

Rory nods her head subtly, "you're not what I expected either."

"What'd you expect some crack junkie?" Lorelai guesses.

Rory shrugs taking in Lorelai's expensive appearance, "I don't know." Rory takes a deep breath, "maybe we should just trying this again...or some other time or something..."

Lorelai shakes her head, "I'm here right, and I am really sorry I'm late. Maybe we could try some place not closed," Lorelai shoots Luke a sidelong glance.

Rory looks between Lorelai and Luke and finally nods, "okay, I guess we could do that. There's a bakery and coffee shop and bakery down the street, if you'd like to go there?


	4. Coffee and an Explanation

Chapter Four

Sorry it took so long to update this was a harder chapter for me to write because I didn't know how much to put into it and how much to leave out for later in the story but I hope you like the chapter and don't mind where I left off.

* * *

"This is it," Rory states motioning to Sookie St. James' bakery and coffee shop. "Sookie's, um, a great cook, she used to work at the Independence Inn but it closed down because of poor management, no one really cared enough to keep it going...But Sookie got her own place so I guess in the end it all worked out...and I'm sorry I'm babbling I tend to do this when I'm nervous."

Lorelai smiles at Rory, "so do I. So what's good here?"

"The banana-berry..."

"Oh my God," Sookie comes out of kitchen just as Rory and Lorelai walk up to the register. "Oh my God."

Lorelai's eyes dart back and forth between Rory and the strange woman, "um, hi."

"Oh my God, I mean if you just walked in from the street alone I totally would have known, oh my God..." With her words Sookie locks a death grip around Lorelai, "it's really great to meet you."

"Um Sook," Rory interrupts, "you may want to let her go."

"Oh," Sookie pulls away, "right. Sorry about that, I get a little over excited sometimes."

"That's okay," Lorelai nods still looking slightly confused, "I'm Lorelai Gilmore-Hayden."

"Of course you are," Sookie nods. "I'm Sookie St. James."

"Oh so you own this place," Lorelai comments.

"Yup," Sookie nods.

"It's really nice," Lorelai states.

"Thanks. I'm really glad I got a chance to meet you...we were all waiting for you at the dinner, the town is really nosey and wanted to meet you but I'm glad I got a chance to meet you..."

"Uh, yeah..." Lorelai is thrown off by how outwardly kind this woman is.

"Sookie was like a surrogate mother for me growing up," Rory explains. "After my parents got divorced."

Instead of responding to Rory's comment Sookie exclaims, "those are my roll," as the scent of something burning comes through the half open kitchen door. "It was great meeting you, anything you order is on the house."

"She's nice," Lorelai observes once Rory and she have settled into a small table in a back corner with their coffee and muffins.

"Yeah," Rory nods sipping her coffee. "Sookie really helped me dad out to raise me, sometimes I don't think he could have done everything, running the restaurant and stuff without Sookie's help. Dad even offered her a job as the cook at Luke's but she didn't wanted it, said she preferred the inn and when she had the idea to open up the bakery Dad helped her out a lot. When I was little I thought they'd get married but now that I'm older I know that'll never happened..."

"How long have your parents been divorced?" Lorelai looks crestfallen.

"Forever," Rory responds but then offers more details. "When I was 18-months-old my mo..." Rory stops and bites her lip trying to judge Lorelai's reaction.

"Your mom," Lorelai urges.

Rory nods, "my mom got a job offer in to do some photography work in Australia and that's when my dad and mom realized that they were way to different to be married. Mom wanted to see the world and Dad wanted to stay in Stars Hollow and run Luke's in the end they couldn't come to an agreement and they separated."

"I'm sorry."

Rory shrugs, "I'm not, I got to live in a town I love and spend summer with my mom in whatever country she happens to be in. I've been all over the world, Korea, Australia, Africa most of the major countries in Europe, and I have two parents who love me even if they couldn't be together."

"Divorce is hard, but you seem very well adjusted." Lorelai comments.

"Are your parents divorced?" Rory questions.

Lorelai can't help but laugh out loud and but then she apologizes quickly, hoping she hasn't offended Rory, "sorry. Um no, they aren't, Richard and Emily Gilmore will live forever and be married for all their lives because how can they double team people and coerce them into things if they aren't married?"

"Oh." Rory responds simply, staring into her cup not knowing what else to talk about, what else she has to say to this near stranger.

"But I'm actually going through a divorce," Lorelai blurts out, unable to stand the silence that has descended around them for 30 seconds. "Chris, that's your father...biological father that is...just couldn't make it work either although we've tried for as long as we could."

"Oh." Rory doesn't know what else to say.

"You have a sister and brother in case you were wondering," Lorelai states. "Sydney is 15 and Pierce is 13, maybe you can meet them sometime."

With those words the thought hits Rory, Sydney was only three years younger that Rory was how big of a difference could three years have made? "Why'd you give me up for adoption?" The words are out of Rory's mouth before she can even think about them.

"I..." Lorelai sighs, she hadn't thought she'd have to handle this question so early in their conversation. "It's complicated."

"I don't have anything to do."

"I was 16," Lorelai begins, "and our parents wanted us to get married."

"But you got married anyway." Rory points out, anger she didn't even know existed was bubbling inside her.

"Yes," Lorelai nods. "And we were going to keep you and raise you and get married and start our family early but then we thought about what your life would be like. Money wouldn't be a problem, all Chris had to do was pick who's father's business he would rather work in and he would have a great job but Chris and I knew what our friends and parents' friends would be like. Your entire life, no matter what you did, would always be about how you were the daughter of teenage parents. You could go on to discover the cure for AIDS and people would still whisper about how your mother got knocked up by that Hayden boy...we didn't want your life to about us we wanted you to live a life with a family who loved you. And so you could be your own person without your parents' mishap hanging over you for the rest of your life. When we found out I was pregnant Chris and I realized that we were never going to get out of being the people our parents wanted us to be so we didn't the best thing we thought we could do for you. We hated our lives but we knew we'd never be able to escape them but by giving you up for adoption we knew we were saving you from a life you were bound to hate anyway."


	5. Preperations

Chapter Five

To IDB and whoever else picked up on it, yes Lorelai did say she had two sons in the letter because originally that was my plan but then I started thinking what would it be like if Lorelai and Chris had another daughter who _was_ raised in the life they hated and what she would be like, so you'll meet Sydney and Pierce in the next chapter.  Oh and there's one short snippet I stole from "You jump, I jump Jack," but when you get to it I'm sure you'll see why I used it... 

* * *

"How'd it go?" Luke is behind the counter when Rory walks back into the diner an hour after she had left.

Rory shrugs, "it was fine."

"Well, what's she like?" Lane prods, wiping down the counter, Luke had reopened the diner after Rory had left to give everyone something to do.

"She's...." Rory shrugs, "she's nice. She likes coffee as much as I do, um she has a degree in business but she doesn't work. She's in the process of getting divorced and she has a daughter and a son."

"Are you going to see her again?" Luke asks as nonchalantly as possible.

"Um yeah," Rory nods, "she wants me to go to this dinner at her parents house on Friday night. If that's okay with you."

"Of course," Luke nods vigorously, "of course."

"Where'd Adam go?" Rory asks looking around the diner for her boyfriend.

"He said he had a meeting he had to be at," Lane responds.

Rory sighs, "I forgot, I have to be at a meeting for the Franklin at school."

"He said he'd explain to Paris for you," Luke states, "so that you didn't have to bother with it."

Rory shakes her head, "I have an article I have to get in...and you know Paris..."

"Unfortunately," Luke responds, Paris Gellar drove Luke insane he thought she was a pretentious snob and didn't bother hiding the fact from his daughter. "You don't have to go, Paris'll get over it, you have a lot going on right now."

"Dad, it's fine, I really have to be at this meeting," Rory walks around the counter and kisses her father's cheek. "Besides I can drive and I'll be back faster than I usually when I take the bus."

"Drive safely," Luke cautions.

"I will," Rory nods. "I'll see you later."

* * *

"I changed my mind," Rory states a week later. "I don't think I want to do this."

"Then don't do it," Lane had come straight over to Rory's after school to help her to decide what to wear to the dinner she was suppose to be having with Lorelai's parents.

Rory glares at her best-friend, "aren't you supposed to talk me into going, telling me that it will be an experience to help me grow?"

"Is that what your dad told you?" Lane asks.

Rory nods, "he thinks me getting to know the Gilmore and Hayden families will be good for me, but I'm not sure if that's what I want, I like my family just like it is."

"No one is forcing this on you," Lane states, "it's all up to you."

Rory sighs and drops onto the bed beside Lane, "I don't know..."

"You should have asked Adam to go with you, he's used to all these socialite dinners and stuff, don't his parents run in the same circle as these people? Emily and Richard Gilmore or whatever?"

"He offered, but he was supposed to have dinner with his parents and they get mad when he backs out of things so I didn't want to put him in that position." With another sigh Rory gets off her bed and returns to shifting through her clothes. "I don't even know what to wear."

"Well what would you wear to dinner with your grandparents?" Lane asks, "your mom's parents I mean...I mean Rachel's parents wow this is really confusing. Aren't they loaded too?"

"Well yeah," Rory nods. "But they're insane, so basing my attire off of what would be appropriate for dinner with them wouldn't be a good idea...my mom is exactly like her parents so I have a feeling they are nothing like Lorelai's parents. This is dumb, I've never been the type of person to care what I am wearing."

"Go with a simple black skirt and a top," Lorelai's voice startles Lane and Rory. "Sorry, I was in town on business and I thought I'd stop by and make sure you hadn't chickened out on dinner...it's okay if you do because it's definitely warranted."

"It's just a lot..."

Lorelai nods, "yeah I know, so if you want to back out I would cover for you."

"No," Rory shakes her head, "I wouldn't back out, that would be rude."

"I would," Lorelai laughs. And then at the look of fear on her daughter's face she quickly states, "the Gilmore's really aren't as bad as I make them out to be, but they will ask you a million and one questions. I'll try to field as many as possible but I can't take them all. So you'll get to meet Syd and Pierce today, they are anxious to meet you..."

Rory bites her lip and mumbles, "me too."

"Listen, I have to get back to Hartford, I have a meeting at Sydney's school but we'll see you at seven right?"

Rory nods, "right."

"You have the directions I emailed to you?"

Rory nods again, "yeah."

"And you're sure you don't want to back out."

"I'm sure."

"She does seem nice, funny," Lane comments once Lorelai has left the room.

"Yeah," Rory responds absentmindedly before pulling out a black knee length skirt and blue button down blouse. "What about this?"

Lane nods, "looks good. So are you ready for this?"

Rory bites her lip, "no."

* * *

"Okay, come on Rory get with it," Rory whispers to herself while standing at the door of a huge house.

After ringing the doorbell the Rory is greeted by a solemn looking blonde woman in a maid's costume, "hello, come in."

"Hi, I'm Rory."

"I'm the maid," the maid gives Rory a slightly odd look before accepting her jacket.

"Right," Rory nods, suddenly embarrassed and unsure of what else to say.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore are waiting for you in the living room," the maid informs Rory.

"Thanks," Rory nods and then asks, "where is it?"

"This way, mam," the maid gestures for Rory to follow her through the large house and into the living room where an older man and woman are sitting.

They both stand immediately, "you must be Rory," the woman smiles warmly at Rory. "We are so glad you could make it."

"Mom," Lorelai is speaking even before she walks into the living room. "I see you've got a new maid, good I was getting worried, you had Helga for an entire two weeks I was concerend that your mental health may be failing you...Oh," Lorlai stops speaking when her eyes land on Rory, "you didn't change your mind."

Rory shakes her head, "nope, I'm here."


	6. The Gilmores

Chapter Six

* * *

I know it's been forever since I updated, but you can't really hate me cause an update's an update, right?

* * *

The silence that had descended around the three generations of Gilmore's and Emily finally breaks it, "well Lorelai shouldn't you introduce everybody?"

Lorelai who has just a hint of tears shimmering in her eyes nods, "um, Rory this is Sydney and Pierce I told you about them. Syd, Pierce this is Rory, your dad and I have told you about her."

Pierce steps forward and shakes Rory's hand, "it's nice to meet you."

Rory offers a polite smile, "it's nice to meet you too."

Pierce steps away before elbowing his older sister into movement, finally Sydney steps forward and Rory can't help but notice how much Sydney looks like shehad three years ago. "Nice to meet you," Sydney's words portray any emotion other than nice.

Trying her best to be nice Rory's smile brights, "it's nice to meet you too."

"And these are my parents, Richard and Emily Gilmore."

"It's so good to meet you," Richard greets.

Emily nods, "we're so glad you agreed to come to dinner. So glad we have the chance to meet you."

"So Rory, tell me, where do you go to school? The local school I assume?" Richard questions everyone has settled into the living room.

Rory shakes her head, "I actually go to a private school, Chilton it's in Hartford."

"You go to Chilton?" Emily asks, "that's an amazing school."

Rory nods, "I like it a lot."

"So then is it safe to assume that you plan on going to a Ivy League school next year?" Richard questions.

"Dad, how about we chill on the interrogation about her life plan?" Lorelai suggests.

Rory offers a small smile in Lorelai's direction but states, "it's okay, I don't mind." Then back toward Richard she states, "actually I turned in my Harvard application last week."

"Harvard, really?" Emily asks.

Rory nods, "I've decided a long time ago that I want to be a foreign correspondent and I've always wanted to go to Harvard, I'm not exactly sure where that comes from, probably my Dad."

"You've applied for back-up schools, though, just in case I hope?"

Rory nods, "Yale and Princeton, just in case. But assuming I get into Harvard that's where I'll go."

"Yale is actually my old Alma Mater," Richard states proudly.

"Oh really?" Rory questions.

Richard nods, "best years of my life." Richard stops for a minute and then states, "now here's a thought. Emily and I are going over to New Haven for the day next weekend for my Whiffenpoof reunion, you should come along with us and take a look at the campus, as long as it's a school you're considering."

"Dad," Lorelai snaps, "slow down. She's only been here ten minutes and you are trying to control her life."

"Your father is not trying to control her life Lorelai," Emily states. "He's merely making an offering that Rory may want to take us up on, touring the campus isn't control. Besides your father and I would like to get to know our granddaughter a little better."

"So what do you say Rory?" Richard asks Rory, and Rory is suddenly aware that everyone at the room is staring expectantly at her and that what she says will cause everyone to form their own opinions off her that might be wrong and hard to change.

"Don't feel pressured, kid," Lorelai offers, "if you don't want to do this it's okay."

Rory bites her lips and lets out a slow, soft breath, "um, sure, yeah, that sounds like fun."

"Rory, you don't have to do this," Lorelai assures Rory.

Rory shrugs, "there's no harm in seeing the campus."

"Then I'm coming," Lorelai declares firmly.

"Excuse me?" Richard and Emily both look stunned by Lorelai's declaration.

"If you're going to take her to your alma mater dad I'm going to stay and make sure that you're not trying to convince her to go to Yale instead of Harvard."

"Lorelai, really," Richard sighs. "You're welcome to come, but I was just suggesting the trip to show Rory the campus."

"Well, I'm coming," Lorelai states again.

"We'll you're more than welcome to come," Richard replies. "Everyone's more than welcome to come Sydney, Pierce would you guys like to come with us as well?"

Pierce shakes his head, "I have basketball practice all weekend."

"Sydney what about you?" Richard asks.

Sydney immediately shakes her head, "I just don't want to."

"Sydney," Emily scolds, "that was rude."

Sydney sighs and crosses her arms, "sorry Grandpa."

"Dinner is ready," the maid announces before hurrying out of the room.

* * *

"How was it?" Luke is waiting up for Rory when she gets home, with a slice of apple pie.

Rory wraps her arms around Luke and hugs him tightly, "I love you Dad."

"That bad?" Luke questions.

Rory shakes her head, "no. It was nice, we had a nice dinner. Lorelai's parents are nice, and so is her son, but I think her daughter hates me."

"Your sister?" Luke suggests.

Rory makes a face as she digs into her pie, "don't call her that, it's weird."

"Sorry," Luke looks stricken and suddenly Rory realizes what the inner turmoil must be like for her father.

"No, I'm sorry," Rory sighs loudly. "It's just weird, you know. And I don't know that I'm ready to consider them right now, maybe ever. I guess it'll take some getting used to before I even think about her as my sister, or brother or whatever...It's just so weird..." Rory sighs again.

Luke nods wrapping an arm around his daughter, "so tell me about the dinner."

Rory shrugs, "I told them about Chilton, they've heard of it. I told them about applying to Harvard."

"Bet they were impressed by that," Luke comments.

"They were," Rory nods suddenly nervous to tell her father about her upcoming trip to New Haven, "and they invited me to go with them to New Haven to see the Yale campus, and I kind of agreed."

"They did what? And you agreed?" Luke's reaction is exactly the one that Rory had been fearing.


	7. So That's Jess

Chapter Seven

Thanks everyone for your reviews of support for my slow updating...I'd also like to thank my anonymous reviewer from the last chapter, I'd love to talk to you sometime...maybe you could email me sometime and give me a little perspective, cause I am kinda just making it up...

* * *

"Rory I really don't see the point of you doing this, you want to go to Harvard. You don't owe these people anything," Luke is still ranting about Rory going on the tour of Yale with the Gilmore's. 

"He's not wrong," Lorelai appears in the doorway of the apartment, "and you know how much we don't get along."

"Come on guys," Rory sighs staring at her reflection as she applies gray eye shadow, "I'm not doing this because I feel like I owe anyone anything." Rory pauses for a second before continuing, "it's just...I've never had grandparents before, it's not like they're going to change my mind about wanting to go to Harvard."

"Kid, it's just that Emily and Richard aren't easy people to get along with."

Rory pulls her hair into a ponytail, "would you both just stop? I'm going, it'll give me a chance to get to know them."

"They've got you trapped, so that you can't say no," Lorelai warns.

"I told them no when they invited me to Thanksgiving dinner."

"Because you had that handy-dandy excuse, wish I had one," Lorelai mutters.

"Um, Rory," Lane's head appears just behind Lorelai, "there's a woman downstairs looking for you."

"Me?" Rory asks.

"Yeah, she says she's your grandmother."

Lorelai smacks her head, "I told her that I would pick you up and meet them on campus."

"Oh geez, here we go," Luke sighs, "I can't believe you brought them here."

"Brought them here?" Lorelai demands, "do you just have a block on your brain that prevents you from hearing the words that come out of my mouth?"

Rory rolls her eyes and walks out of the apartment and begins down the stairs until she's stopped in the stairwell by Lane, "so Emily seems..." Lane trails searching for the right words.

"Scary and inaccessible?" Rory asks.

"Yeah," Lane nods, "makes me want to go home to the soft and cuddly Mrs. Kim. You okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah," Rory shrugs.

"You don't have to be okay with all of this, because I'm freaking out for you. It's all very worthy of the best freak-out anyone could come up with."

Rory shrugs, "I just keep telling myself that all of this is like a really long interview, putting my best face forward even if I'm uncomfortable with this sudden rush of family members. Besides I just keep reminding myself that next weekend, you me and our adorable boyfriends will be going to New York City."

"If you need anything, I'm here, literally here because I work all weekend."

* * *

"Lorelai, really, must you be so patronizing?" Emily demands at lunch just off of Harvard's campus. 

"No," Lorelai shakes her head, "but it's a lot more fun this way."

"Lorelai, Rory is expressing more maturity than you've shown in your entire life," Richard adds.

"I guess it's just another factor in that nature vs. nurture theory then huh?"

"Lorelai," Emily says nothing else and Rory takes a sip of her coffee to hide the smirk on her face but as Lorelai sends her a look over her own coffee cup she can't help but laugh out loud. "You're already having a horrible effect on her," Emily sighs and Rory was beginning to think that whenever she was around Lorelai Emily did this often.

"So, Rory, I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of setting up an interview for you with the Dean of Admissions, he's an old friends of mind. He really..."

"Oh my God!" Lorelai exclaims, drawing a fair amount of attention from the other patrons of the expensive restaurant, "I can't believe you do this!"

"I didn't _do_ anything, Lorelai, I just made a few phone calls. Harris Fellows is an old friend and was more then willing to see her on such a short notice."

"I should have known there was a catch," Lorelai sighs out of frustration, "I'm a complete idiot for not seeing this coming. Rory you don't have to do this, you are under no pressure to do this."

Rory bites her lip, but then shrugs, "I have my Harvard interview coming up anyway, so it'll be like a trial run."

"Rory..." Lorelai begins.

"Excellent," Richard interrupts and Rory forces a smile.

"Great."

* * *

Rory sits uncomfortably across from the dean as he quickly reviews her files that sit on her desk, but finally he looks up at her and smiles. "So you think you'd like to follow in the footsteps of your parents." 

"My parents?" Rory asks.

"Of course, Lorelai and Christopher shook up this campus while they were here."

"They went to Yale?"

"Of course, didn't you know? And of course Richard is one of our favorite alumni." Rory nods although she had known about Richard she was surprised by the news that this had been Lorelai's school as well. "Your transcripts are quiet impressive, you attend Chilton?"

"Yes," Rory responds, she could handle this part of the interview she'd practiced for it a million times.

* * *

"Well, how'd it go?" Richard asks when Rory walks out of the dean's office. 

"It went," Rory shrugs, "okay, I guess."

"Dad you can't just surprise people with interviews to colleges they're not actually interested in attending and expect it to be an amazing interview."

"It was fine, really," Rory assures.

"Good," both Emily and Richard nod before Emily adds, "we have this party to get to but you two enjoy yourselves on campus and we'll meet you right back here in two hours, okay?"

"Coffee?" Lorelai asks once Richard and Emily have headed back toward the parking lot.

Rory nods, "coffee sounds great."

"Listen kid..."

"Please stop apologizing," Rory requests as they begin the walk toward a coffee kiosk not far away. "It's not a huge deal, the interview went well, I survived, it's okay."

"It's just I should have known that he would do this, he tricked me into going to Yale too."

"Really?" Rory asks before the both pause in the conversation to order their coffee.

Lorelai nods, "he tricked me into the interview too, by the time I got accepted Christopher had been accepted as well, so..." Lorelai shrugs, "I went, for a year."

"Just year? What happened?" Rory blushes, "if you don't mind my asking."

"Of course not, it's public knowledge anyway. My freshman year I got pregnant with Sydney so Christopher and I got married." Rory nods, but she's not sure how to respond, as much as she loved her life growing up she can't get rid of the questions that push their way into her head about what life would have been like if she hadn't been adopted. "Rory..."

Rory waves her off, "you don't have to explain to me why the situations were different."

"You were the reason the situations were different," Lorelai disregards Rory's words and launches into the explanation. "After giving you up I couldn't do that again," Lorelai pauses, "before the adoption was finalized there was a time where I almost took you back."

"I had no idea...my dad never said anything..."

"He doesn't know," Lorelai responds, "I went to the diner one day. You were ten months old and it was chaos there, the breakfast crowd I guess, but Luke had you strapped into one of those baby carriers around his front. And then you woke up and started fussing and he stopped everything he was doing just to take care of you, and I knew then that I couldn't take you from that no matter how much I was hurting. So when I found out I was pregnant again I knew I wasn't strong enough to give another baby up."

Rory wipes at her wet cheeks, "thank you."

"Thank you?" Lorelai looks puzzled.

"For giving me my life then and not making me choose between life with you and with my dad when I was older."

"I'd never do that," Lorelai shakes her head, "I just want to be a part of your life now, if that's what you want."

Rory nods, "that's what I want."

"Good."

* * *

"The Phantom of the Opera is..." 

"Lane, you may want to stick to the drums," Dave teases as they step out of the limo Adam had borrowed from his parents for the night in front of a 24 hour diner in NYC.

"Hey!" Lane teasingly pushes Dave off of the curb.

"Thank you guys so much, best birthday present ever, hands down."

Adam places a hand gently on her waist, "you had a good time?"

Rory grins and leans against him, "the best, without a doubt. Lane told me it was your idea," Rory laces her fingers with Adam's.

"She wasn't supposed to do that," Adam raises his voice slightly so that Lane can overhear.

Lane grins and shrugs, "she's my best friend, she asked I couldn't lie to her."

Adam rolls his eye but smiles as he says, "sell-out."

"Hey, this way you receive thanks that I can't share with Lane or Dave," Rory wraps her arms around Adam's neck before kissing him,

"Aw you two, get a room!" Dave calls out from the doorway of the diner.

"That was my suggestions," Adam states after breaking the kiss.

"Try floating that one past my dad," Rory laughs.

"Hence the borrowing of the parents chauffeur and driving back to Stars Hollow tonight," Adam responds. "I like your dad, but I'm not ashamed to admit that he scares me."

"Luke scares everybody," a voice states from behind the group.

They turn around and Rory shrieks, "Jess!" Before throwing her arms around his neck.

"Aurora Danes what the hell are you doing in New York City at midnight?"

Rory laughs, "causing all sorts of trouble."

"In formal wear?" Jess laughs before greeting Lane and Dave, but he stops at Adam, "you I don't know."

"Jess this is my boyfriend Adam, Adam this is my cousin Jess."

"Ah the boyfriend your emails talk about so much," Jess comments.

"You're the cousin that lived with Rory last year, right?" Adam asks.

Rory nods, "yes on both accounts. Jess lived with us last year until he got accepted to a "special" school and left us to move to the big city."

"Well, it's good to finally meet you," Adam responds, "why don't you eat with us?"

"Yes, Jess, eat with us, it'll make up for not coming down for my birthday or Thanksgiving."

"I suppose, since next year you'll be at Harvard and too good to hang out with your loser cousin."

"Actually..." Rory begins, now was as good a time as any to tell them the idea she had been wrestling with all week.

"Actually what?" Adam asks as the rest of the group stares at Rory, in fact he'd been expecting this actually since Rory had gotten home from her interview and explained what had happened.

"Why don't we sit?" Rory asks motioning to an open table. Once they've all settled at a table Rory begins, "my interview at Yale got me thinking."

"Rory, you can't possibly be thinking about not going to Harvard," Lane states, "that's all you've ever wanted."

Adam sighs, "I should have gone with you on that trip and not let them talk you into that interview. Alma Maters are all that matter to these people."

"Rory, all you've ever wanted your whole life was Harvard, don't let some old good for nothing rich ass change your mind about that." Jess adds.

"I'm not sure I see the problem," Dave decides to give his two cents as well, "Yale is a hell of a lot closer then Harvard and Adam aren't you going to Yale?"

"Whoa, guys, hello," Rory draws the attention back to herself, "remember how it's my life."

"Sorry," all four apologize.

"But Dave is right, Yale is closer and I could come home on weekends."

"Rory, I already said I could come get you whenever you wanted to come home," Adam reminds gently.

"I know," Rory nods, "but it's more then that. I have a chance to get to know Lorelai nod, but I won't really have that if I go to Harvard. And I'm not saying that I'm positive about anything yet, it's just in my thought process."

"A thought process that your dad is going to kill you for," Jess responds, "but it's your life."

"That's right," Rory nods, "it is my life and Dad might be mad about it at first but he'll adjust. Anyway, Jess when are you going to get your ass back to Stars Hollow? I'm starting to think that _you're_too good to hang out with your _us_."

"Well, that's because I am," Jess retorts with a smirk.

"Hey!" Rory flicks a piece of her napking at Jess as the waitress arrives to take their orders.

Once she's gone though Jess states, "I've got two weeks off at Christmas, then I'll come up."

"Woohoo, an entire month away," Rory rolls her eyes, "but if that's all I can get from my favorite cousin..."

"_Only_ cousin," Jess points out.

"What kind of school do you go to, Jess?" Adam questions, "whenever Rory talks about you she just mentions you and your "special" school."

"It's a school for criminal deviants," Dave states with a laugh, "according to most of the Stars Hollow residents."

"And that's the way the rumors will stay," Jess states.

Rory rolls her eyes, "Jess goes to a culinary school, but he doesn't tell many people that. He doesn't think it's very manly or something, they gave him a scholarship and everything, half tuition waiver along with free room and board."

"Wow, that's great," Adam responds.

"And to think when he came to us he was a troubled youth, all he had to do was find his calling," Rory states dramatically.

Jess shakes his head, "she likes to brag about me."

Rory nods, "I do, because hey I taught him to make his first meal. Of course he surpassed me in like a week in my cooking abilities, he's really amazing Adam."

* * *

"So you had a good time?" Adam asks on the drive back to Stars Hollow. 

Rory yawns and rests her head on Adam's chest, Lane and Dave are already asleep across from them, "an amazing time."

"Good," Adam places a light kiss on Rory's forehead, "so that's Jess."

Rory nods, "that's Jess."

"You seem close."

"Yeah he's my best friend, we were close when we were little because his mom moved them to Stars Hollow for awhile. But then, in true Liz fashion, they didn't stay for long and ended up moving but we stayed in contact through email and the phone. We told each other everything, still do now. Anyway, last year when he was getting into trouble I convinced my dad to let him come stay with us."

"And so the three of you lived in that apartment?" Adam asks.

Rory laughs, "it was a tight squeeze, that's for sure, I spend a lot of time at Lane's. Dad suggest we move..."

"But you love that apartment more then anything," Adam finishes for her.

Rory looks up at Adam, "yup."

Both fall silent for several moments before Adam states, "I hope you know I support you in whatever decision you come to about schools, I don't have a problem with you coming with me to Yale, I hope you didn't get that impression."

Rory shakes her head, "I didn't. It's just...I have to figure things out for myself. I've never defined myself as adopted before and I don't want to start now."

"Who said you had to start now?" Adam asks.

"How can I not?" Rory asks, "before the adoption wasn't a big deal, I wasn't forced into thinking about it. But now, now, there's all these new people I have to take into consideration and what they want from me."

"No, you don't," Adam shakes his head fiercely.

"I dunno," Rory shrugs, "I guess I just have to take time to adjust."

"Then take time, these people aren't goign anyway, you don't have to rush this process. Take the time to figure out what you want. Not what Richard and Emily Gilmore want. Or Lorelai. Or even your dad, as much as you love him. If you want to go to Harvard then go to Harvard, but if you really would prefer to go to Yale then go to Yale. But do it because it's what you want to do, not because of what other people think is best for you."

"I think I love you," Rory places a kiss on Adam's lips before resting her head on his chest.

"I love you too," Adam responds gently stroking her hair, but it's only minutes later that he can tell she's fallen asleep.


End file.
